site.btaInterior Ministry Secretary General Zhivko Kotsev: Crime Rate Lower Than in 2022

Interviewed by BTA, the Interior Ministry's Secretary General Zhivko Kotsev said the crime rate is down by 3.7% compared with 2022 and the clearance rate is about 3% higher. There is a decrease in crimes against the person, car and property theft.

In contrast, the reported cases of domestic violence and the pre-tril proceedings have spiked. "So far this year, 1,359 cases of domestic violence have been recorded as against 749 in 2022 - an 81.4% increase is a cause for great concern," Kotsev said.

As to human trafficking, 153 victims, including eight children, were identified in 2022. By comparison, the identified human trafficking victims in 2021 were 468, including 24 children, and 458 victims, including 31 children, in 2020.

In 2023, 11 special operations against human trafficking have broken up nine organized crime groups. Of 49 detained persons, 32 have been prosecuted. In 2022, the Interior Ministry conducted eight operations and broke up five human trafficking rings.

Regarding migrant pressure, the Interior Ministry has prevented 170,000 attempted illegal crossings by third-country nationals as against 139,000 in 2022. More than 12,000 persons have been detained in the country's interior. Bulgaria is doing a very good job protecting its border, which is also an EU border, Kotsev said.

The attempted illegal crossings have dropped to fewer than 300 per 24 hours this week, compared to between 1,200 and 1,500 per 24 hours two months ago. An 80%-plus increase in pre-trial proceedings and an over 30% rise in convictions are evidence that the Interior Ministry has stepped up the fight against illegal migration in collaboration with Turkiye, Europol and Frontex, Kotsev said.